IoT Pioneer Stacey Higginbotham Steps Back After Two Decades of Tech Journalism

After more than twenty years spent tracking the relentless evolution of the technology industry, prominent tech journalist and Internet of Things (IoT) expert Stacey Higginbotham has officially brought her weekly newsletter and podcast to a close. In a final publication released on Friday, August 18, 2023, Higginbotham reflected on her storied career, the profound societal shifts brought on by ubiquitous computing, and the growing burnout that ultimately prompted her to step away from daily journalism.

While the closure of her dedicated IoT newsletter and podcast marks the end of a major chapter, Higginbotham emphasized that it is not a complete farewell to the tech community. She plans to maintain a presence on Bluesky and may occasionally publish independent updates when compelled by significant industry developments. Furthermore, she is transitioning into a consulting role with the Consumer Reports Innovation Lab, where she will focus heavily on the critical cybersecurity and privacy challenges associated with connected devices.

The decision brings a temporary close to an independent media venture that Higginbotham launched in 2016. At the time, she made the bold move to step down from her position as a senior editor at Fortune to establish her own independent publication. Her goal was to deeply examine the broad technological and social ramifications of embedding computing capabilities into everyday objects—a trend that was rapidly expanding across consumer products and industrial applications alike.

Reflecting on the early days of her independent venture, Higginbotham expressed profound gratitude to the loyal readers, listeners, and sponsors who supported her vision. Many in the industry initially questioned the wisdom of leaving an established, mainstream publication to venture into independent commentary. However, thanks to the time and stories shared by her audience, she was able to sustain and grow her coverage of the burgeoning IoT landscape, transforming her specialized insights into a trusted resource for industry professionals and enthusiasts.

Over the years, Higginbotham’s reporting charted the meteoric rise of the smart home and the broader expansion of connected systems. Yet, her analysis was never limited to the convenience of automated appliances or the novelty of connected gadgets. From the very beginning of her coverage of the smart home sector in 2012, she recognized that internet-enabled devices introduced layers of complexity into daily life, accompanied by latent risks regarding corporate and government surveillance. As the market matured and numerous hardware startups launched only to fold or be acquired, the underlying business models of connected products became increasingly transparent—and increasingly troubling. Higginbotham frequently highlighted how the industry transitioned toward rigid subscription models and aggressive data harvesting, prioritizing monetization over user privacy and long-term product viability.

Beyond the consumer sphere, Higginbotham closely monitored how connected technologies were reshaping the modern workplace. Her reporting cast a critical eye on the deployment of advanced monitoring tools designed to track employees, pushing workers to their absolute limits while optimizing corporate bottom lines at the expense of labor well-being. She also evaluated the tech industry’s recent embrace of environmental, social, and governance initiatives. While many corporations heavily advertised their investments in carbon-reduction technologies and operational efficiencies, Higginbotham often observed that these efforts frequently felt insufficient, serving more as corporate greenwashing than a genuine reckoning with unsustainable industrial practices.

Despite her deep affection for technology and her enduring belief in the capacity of innovators to solve complex human problems, the cumulative weight of covering the industry’s darker trends took a heavy toll. After more than two decades dedicated to the fast-paced cycle of daily news reporting—with precious little time to step back and analyze the broader, long-term implications of relentless product promotion—Higginbotham reached a point of professional exhaustion. She candidly noted that a growing sense of cynicism toward the endless wave of new startups and research initiatives had begun to overshadow her ability to celebrate genuinely promising ideas and technological breakthroughs.

By stepping away from the daily demands of content production, Higginbotham hopes to recover her enthusiasm for human ingenuity and technological innovation. In the interim, she is channeling her expertise into meaningful personal projects and her collaboration with the Consumer Reports Innovation Lab. In her new role, she will continue advocating for safer, more secure, and consumer-friendly connected devices—a mission that remains central to her decades-long career. While her weekly newsletter has published its final edition, Higginbotham’s voice will undoubtedly continue to influence the conversation surrounding digital privacy and device security as she invites her community to stay in touch through her ongoing professional endeavors.